A number of years ago a friend of mine went on a short vacation to California. When she returned, she presented me with a brightly wrapped package. Brushing aside my protests, she stated, "The minute that I saw this in the shop, I knew it was for you and I couldn't resist buying it. Go ahead and open it up."

With great excitement I peeled back the wrapping paper and found a small framed wall mirror for my office. But it certainly wasn't an ordinary mirror. I had never seen anything like it before because right in the center of the mirror was a wooden cross.

I loved the mirror from the first moment that I held it in my hands and with great delight I hung it on the wall near the door. However, my delight with the gift ended the first time I approached it with lipstick in hand for a quick touch-up before leaving the office. As I looked into the mirror, I couldn't see me. All I could see was the cross. I was actually hidden behind the cross.

I shifted this way and that way trying to position myself so that I could see past the cross, but it remained firmly planted in the center of my vision. My face was completely blocked out.

Finally I discovered that by standing on my tiptoes, I could see my eyes. And if I stooped down a little and moved to the left, I could actually see well enough to apply my lipstick. But the cross dominated my view of myself.

As I pondered my new mirror, I sensed the Lord speaking deep down in my heart. "This mirror will serve as a constant reminder that the cross must always be in the center of your life and the way you see yourself. This is how I always view you—hidden behind the cross of Christ.

Many years have passed since I received the mirror, but a day rarely passes that I don't glance into it once or twice. I may be running a comb through my hair before going to a meeting or putting some powder on my nose, but when I see the cross, my thoughts immediately turn to Jesus and His wonderful love.

Through the miracle of God's grace, my life is hid with Christ in God. When God looks down from heaven, He sees me through the cross and I am reflected to Him as holy and righteous.

How are you viewed by your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers? What do they see reflected through your life? Do they see you or do they see the cross of Christ?

We should be serving as mirrors in the world, mirrors used to reflect the glory of God. Jesus is described in the scriptures as being "the express image of the person of God" (Hebrews 1:3). What kind of image do you project?

One day the disciples came to Jesus with a request. "Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied."

And the Mirror of God replied, "Have I been with you all this time and you haven't realized? If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father. I am the reflection of His very Being" (John 14:6).

The world will not see Jesus unless they see Him reflected through His people. Let us hide behind the cross so that only Jesus can be seen. God grant that we might be able to respond the same way that Jesus did and say with assurance, "He who has seen me has seen Jesus."

Perhaps that statement may seem rather bold, but if people don't see Jesus in us, where are they going to see Him? We call our selves Christians. Do you know what Christian means? Christian means "Christ-like". When we say we are Christians, we are stating, "I am like Christ." It's a bold power-packed statement, but others really should be able to see Jesus in us reflecting His life, His love and His service.

Are you reflecting His glory? Are you being conformed into His image? Are you being changed from glory to glory? You should be the mirror that people look into to see Christ revealed. Just keep the cross before you at all times and follow in His footsteps.